Why is passive smoking dangerous? How dangerous is passive smoking for the health of non-smokers, pregnant women and children? The effect of tobacco smoke on a child

The fact that smoking is injurious to health is a known truth. But, unfortunately, a bad habit negatively affects not only the body of a smoker, but also those who are in his environment. The smoker during the tightening receives a portion harmful substances, but exhaled smoke contains much more toxic toxins, so passive smoking causes irreparable harm to others. Children are especially susceptible to tobacco exposure, whose bodies are too sensitive to the components of cigarette smoke. But many parents who smoke don't take the problem seriously enough. Therefore, today we will talk about all the negative consequences of children's passive smoking.

The effect of passive smoking on the baby's body

Many fathers and mothers do not know, and sometimes simply ignore, how dangerous the harmful inhalation of cigarette substances from the environment is for their baby. Everyone knows that smoking in the presence of children is prohibited. But with all the awareness, many break this taboo, shielding themselves with stupid excuses like “opening the window” or “releasing harmful smoke in the other direction.”

Most of them think that having smoked a cigarette, they will only cause inconvenience to others for a few minutes. However, it is precisely at these moments that serious pathological problems with the health of the baby can arise, since his body is too weak and very susceptible to various toxic substances. In other words, dear mothers and fathers, by smoking a cigarette in the presence of your child, you personally take away the most important thing from him - health.

It has been scientifically proven that passive smoking negatively affects the small and fragile body of a newborn and causes the development of many diseases and pathological disorders, namely:

• respiratory diseases, which can subsequently develop into asthma or other serious pathologies;
• weakening of the immune system, accompanied by dysfunction of all systems of the child's body and a decrease in protective functions;
• impaired development of the baby;
• ear diseases that can result in hearing loss (partially or completely).

And that's not all the problems that can arise from passive smoking. Many diseases that occur in early age against the background of nicotine poisoning, can appear much later, sometimes even after tens of years. The most common consequences are allergies and dysfunction of the reproductive system.

What harm does passive smoking do to children?

Smoking negatively affects the health of the smoker. Imagine the danger of cigarette smoke inhaled by a child. The child's body, which is in the stage of development and formation, nicotine causes irreparable harm. With each new dose of cigarette smoke in a child, the risk of developing many pathologies increases:

• decrease in the protective functions of the child's body;
• diseases of the respiratory system;
• ear inflammation (otitis media);
• neurobiological disorders;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• development of cancer.

Children who grow up in a family of smokers are much more likely to suffer from various diseases. Also, scientists have established a relationship between passive inhalation of cigarette smoke and childhood cancers (leukemia, cancer of the nasal cavity).

When smoking a pack of cigarettes in the presence of a child, parents do not even realize that the harm from such a quantity is equal to 2 or even 3 cigarettes that the baby “would have smoked by himself”. Therefore, mothers and fathers need to carefully weigh all the risks that can be fatal for their child.

Consequences of passive smoking hookah and electronic cigarettes

Many parents mistakenly believe that hookah is less dangerous to others than regular cigarettes. But such an alternative method of smoking can hardly be called safe. Scientific studies prove that hookah smoke contains many toxins, so its harm can be equated to ordinary tobacco products. In addition, hookah raw materials are often made from artisanal plants that no one really checks, so the consequences of such smoking can be unpredictable. In addition, the room in which the hookah is smoked is saturated with tobacco and coal smoke. And this means that this method of smoking harms non-smoking family members, especially children, whose body is very susceptible to all sorts of toxic substances. Therefore, we can safely say that the consequences of passive hookah smoking are also dangerous for the health of babies.

As for electronic cigarettes, they can be called the most harmless way of smoking, but not safe at all. The fact is that electronic cigarettes contain nicotine, which, as we have already found out, has an extremely negative effect on children's health. Being in the company of smoking people, the baby will be forced to inhale this narcotic poison. In addition, various impurities containing no less toxic substances may be present in the cartridges.

Therefore, the conclusion suggests itself: it is impossible to smoke electronic cigarettes and hookah in the presence of children.

Protecting your child from passive smoking

the only right decision in this situation, there will be a complete cessation of smoking, and it is advisable to do this long before the planned pregnancy. If you are unable to quit smoking, then do it outside, away from children. And don't forget to thoroughly wash your hands, brush your teeth, and change clothes after the process so that your little one doesn't inhale the poisonous toxins that your skin and furnishings have absorbed.

But even if the parents have given up addiction or do not smoke at all, this does not mean that the child is protected from passive smoking. Cigarette danger can lie in wait in public places, which must be avoided. Also, try not to go into a smoky room with your baby, so as not to expose him to cigarette danger.

If a smoker used to live in your apartment, then you should think about overhaul, as walls, floors and furniture absorb tobacco toxins that cannot be eliminated by simple ventilation.

Moms and dads should understand that passive smoking is dangerous for children. Therefore, they should make every effort to protect their child from cigarette exposure and create comfortable conditions for its full development.

Especially for - Marina Amiran

Many smokers do not even suspect that addiction aggravates not only their health, but also the condition of the people around them, who are forced to breathe nicotine fumes.

Possible consequences for the child's body

The consequences of passive smoking for a child include many diseases. Chemical components of smoke pass into breast milk and adversely affect babies. The following impact of secondary smog on the child's respiratory system is noted:

• development of respiratory tract infections;
• increased frequency of respiratory symptoms;
• deterioration in lung function;
• development of diseases of ENT organs (rhinitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis).

Possible neurological disorders include:

1. decrease in the intellectual, linguistic and perceptual abilities of the baby;
2. development of aggressive behavior towards peers;
3. the risk of developing behavioral problems, the appearance of hyperactivity syndrome.

If a child is exposed to toxic substances from an early age, this leads to early damage to the blood vessels.

Such damage can appear as early as the first 10 years of a baby's life:

• increased risk of diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• increased risk of death.

Reports from sought-after surgeons note that causal relationships have long been established between second-hand smoke exposure and sudden death in young children. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is 94% more likely to occur in children whose parents smoke constantly.

The absorption of secondary smog can also cause Crohn's disease, an inflammatory process in the gastrointestinal tract that affects the muscular layer of the digestive system.

New research by scientists confirms the link between passive smoking and the formation of cancer in children. With the risk of developing lymphoma and acute leukemia increases by 200%, the possibility of developing a brain tumor increases by 22%.

Conclusion

Why is passive smoking dangerous for children? Secondary smog negatively affects all the vital systems of the child's body - it destroys the mucous membranes of organs, disrupts blood circulation and causes neurological changes.

Parents can prevent the danger of passive smoking for the child - you need to leave the addiction yourself and isolate the baby from places where the air is saturated with nicotine.

Video: All about passive smoking: harm, prevention. Smoking in the apartment

Associating children with ashtrays full of cigarette butts and cigarettes between fingers is not easy. However, contrary to any logic or common sense, babies are often introduced to tobacco while still embryos and while in the mother's womb.

At its core, passive smoking does not always involve being near a cigarette-smoking object. It can also occur if a neighbor smokes on the balcony on the floor above or in the bathroom. At the same time, in some cases, the smoke is sucked into the rooms located below the floor. The inevitable inhalation of smoke and tobacco residue remaining on hair, clothes and household items negatively affects any person, and doubly affects a child.

How does passive smoking affect babies?

A child whose parents are active smokers begins the struggle for survival even before he is born. Since the reproductive function of smokers is most often weakened, their ability to conceive is greatly reduced.

A pregnant woman who is not able to give up tobacco puts not only her health at risk, but also the condition of her child. His bad habit it can provoke a miscarriage, all kinds of congenital pathologies of the fetus, premature birth, as well as the appearance of a stillborn. The longer the mother-to-be smokes, the more the child is exposed to danger: the chance of sudden fetal death increases by almost three times.

The fact that the effects of passive smoking on children are much more aggressive is undeniable. Instilled at an early age, addiction to nicotine becomes a stumbling block, which is almost impossible to break through later. Cigarette smoke does not calm the nerves of the child, but leads to irreversible changes. All the forces of the young organism are directed not to the fastest growth and development, but to the fight against carbon monoxide and poisonous resins. Under such conditions, to finally form internal organs becomes extremely difficult. Sometimes imperceptible cigarette smoke irritates the body's mucous membranes, causing excruciating asthma attacks and a prolonged cough. The upper respiratory tract is also involved and involved in pathological processes. Before acute respiratory and infectious diseases the baby is also unprotected, because his immunity is a priori suppressed. He can easily get sick with meningitis and tuberculosis.

Others can be selected if desired. the depressing aspects of passive smoking. It:

It becomes a disastrous start for more serious life experiments;
- kills brain cells through toxic substances contained in cigarettes;
- harms internal organs (such as the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys);
- increases the risk of oncology:
- disrupts metabolism;

It becomes obvious that the harm of passive smoking for children is enormous. And this despite the fact that we talked only about part of the problem.

The role of passive smoking in children's lives

As numerous studies show, children of smoking parents get used to new conditions much worse (including the team, entering kindergarten). They are much more likely to get sick and naughty. Those who are exposed to cigarette smoke even after birth, do not remember information well, do not know how to concentrate on certain things, and express their own thoughts more difficultly. All this is caused by free radicals that predominate in tobacco smoke. They trigger oxidative processes in the body, which can only be neutralized by antioxidants (for example, vitamin C). The reserves of such substances in the children's body are already extremely scarce, and given that they all go to neutralize free radicals, it becomes obvious why passive smoking is harmful for children and why it slows down growth and development.

It should be understood that the harm of parental smoking may not appear immediately. A variety of deviations from the norm (both physically and mentally) can appear at any time in a child's life. It is also important to note that children who grew up in a family of smokers are 90% likely to take up cigarettes, because their parents are their role models. If the relatives of the child do not realize the harm caused by cigarettes, then they automatically push the offspring to experiments. In general, genetic predisposition and the desire to grow up as quickly as possible become the root cause of juvenile smoking.

Summing up, we can say that passive smoking for kids is a kind of cross over all childhood. "Smoking children" often lose all interest in their lives and in fact lose the opportunity to live carefree, and this scenario is not at all what loving parents can wish for their offspring.

Tobacco smoke contains about 4000 chemical substances. Many of these are carcinogenic and are thought to be the cause of many diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, and heart disease. Despite this, many people continue to smoke, and protecting children from secondhand smoke can be difficult. In this article, we will tell you how you can protect children from tobacco smoke.

Steps

Fighting passive smoking at home and in the car

Quit smoking. If you smoke, the most important thing you can do is to quit the habit. Even if you do not smoke around children, the smoke remains on your clothes, hair, furniture and in the car, all of which can adversely affect the health of children. A smoked cigarette leaves traces that can be harmful.

Help others to quit smoking if they are ready for it. Other adults who smoke and spend a lot of time with your children are also a danger to them. The support of loved ones plays an important role in helping a person who wants to quit smoking, especially in the first few months after quitting. Although the person must make the decision himself, you can convince him if it seems to you that he is already close to it.

• Calmly explain to the person that you would like them to stop smoking because they are exposing your children to carcinogens.
• Explain the benefits of this solution.
• If the person decides to try quitting, support them in every possible way.

1. Prohibit smoking in the house. This is your home and you are entitled to it. If any person who has come to visit you wants to smoke, let him know that smoking is only allowed outside, away from children. Even if children are not around, the remnants of tobacco smoke can harm them.

   Ban smoking in your car. It seems to some that simply lowering the glass is enough, and the smoke will not bother anyone. This is wrong. Rolling down windows can even redirect smoke into the faces of those sitting in the back seat.

   • Even if there are no children in the car, when someone smokes there, there is still a risk from exposure to smoke residues.

2. Find out if smoking is allowed in your home. If you live in an apartment and the other tenants smoke, the smoke may reach you. Find out if indoor smoking is allowed in your country.

   Read scientific articles about the effects of passive smoking. You will most likely find everything you need on the Internet, but you should also read research papers on the effects of tobacco smoke on children. You can find such articles in scientific libraries.

   • English-language articles are posted on Google Scholar. There you can get acquainted with the original source, and not with its interpretation.

3. Call the Ministry of Health and ask for the information you are interested in. Most likely, you will be prompted where you can get the data you need.

Talking to children about the dangers of secondhand smoke

Do not be lazy to tell your children about what passive smoking is. You can't always shield kids from other people's habits, so it's important that kids understand why they shouldn't smoke and why they should avoid secondhand smoke.

• If you don't know how best to discuss this topic, try to find a different approach. Look for videos that explain the dangers of smoking, including passive smoking.

1. Set an example for children - stop smoking and refrain from this habit. The behavior of parents greatly affects children. If you tell children not to smoke and that they should stay away from people who smoke, but you yourself smoke, the children will not take your words seriously.

   Find out if children are taught about the dangers of smoking at school. Most schools provide such classes, but some schools pay more attention to it, while others less. Ask your teacher what the school curriculum is and if there is information about secondhand smoke in the class.

   • If you're not happy with the program, find out if you can change it for the better.

2. Help children understand why smoking, including passive smoking, is harmful. If you simply say that any of these are bad, the child will not understand why he should avoid tobacco smoke.

   Let your child know that just because an adult, friend, or celebrity smokes, it doesn't mean you should follow their example.

   Warn children about possible peer influence. On the one hand, the child may feel the need to do something under the influence of his own reasoning, on the other hand, someone may force him to try smoking. Prepare your child for this situation and teach him to say no.

3. lose possible ways failure. Think through all kinds of situations with your children. Sometimes it's hard to figure out how to get out of a difficult situation. If you think through everything in advance, it will be easier for the child.

   • You can opt out in the following ways:
     • Make jokes and change the subject.
     • Say firmly, "No, I don't need it."
     • Offer to do something else.
     • If all else fails, just leave.
     • Explain to your child that a true friend will respect his decision. If such a "friend" continues to exert pressure, it would be better to look for another company.

Legislative bans on smoking in public places to some extent protect people from passive smoking. Adults may ask smokers not to light cigarettes in their homes. But when parents and other family members smoke indoors or in the car, babies inhale the smoke and become passive smokers. The short-term damage and long-term damage to their lung health is also due to the fine particulate matter contained in the smoke.

There are more than 250 chemicals and poisons in cigarette smoke, and, as you know, the degree of harm caused by passive smoking is even higher than with ordinary smoking. It increases even more if we are talking about a weak, unprotected and developing organism. Thus, according to American statistics, passive smoking causes more than 150,000 different respiratory infections in children under 18 months of age, and more than 7,500 hospitalizations per year.

Slowing down the development of alveoli in the lungs

The first serious health problem for newborns exposed to secondhand smoke is slowing the development of alveoli in the lungs. Alveoli are small air sacs in the lungs where carbon dioxide and oxygen are exchanged. Babies are born with only 1/5 of the 300 million alveoli required for normal breathing. Usually from birth to 8 years of age, these small air sacs develop. A 2006 study at UC Davis found that babies exposed to secondhand smoke experienced increased apoptosis, or cell death, and never developed enough air sacs for a healthy respiratory system. In turn, an underdeveloped respiratory system not only entails various diseases, but also significantly limits the activities of adolescents and adults - you can’t play sports, there will be difficulties when walking up the stairs, and so on.

Newborns who have been exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to develop asthma, even if there were no signs of it before, and those same particulate matter increases the likelihood of even more severe asthmatic attacks and their frequency. Infants with asthma have excessive mucus secretion and are at risk of inflammation and spasms in the bronchioles. That is why it is so important that parents are aware of the harmful effects that passive smoking has on children. There is no level of passive smoking that lowers the risk of asthma.

Increased chances of developing diseases

The Center for Surgery in America reports that passive smoking can cause two serious lung diseases: bronchitis and pneumonia, including chronic ones. Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchioles, it causes an increase in the intensity of mucus secretion. Babies with bronchitis cough and have impaired respiratory function. Pneumonia is a serious lung disease in which the alveoli become infected and inflamed. Fluid in the lungs impairs breathing. And shortness of breath leads to other diseases, including the suppression of brain functions.

Plus, young children exposed to secondhand smoke have a much higher risk of ear infections. The toxins in the smoke irritate babies' delicate Eustachian tubes. This leads to constant swallowing, infections and fluid retention.

Increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome

Newborns who inhale cigarette smoke show an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Research conducted in 2008 at McMasters University proves this. Normally, the adrenal glands produce hormones called catecholamines, which cause babies to turn their heads when their face drops down and oxygen supply is greatly reduced. Children who have been exposed to passive smoking are more accustomed to a lack of oxygen, and because of this, this protective function is impaired in them: the saving adrenaline reaction is either worse or completely absent. That is why babies should be put to sleep on their backs.

So drive the smoker in the family to the street with a filthy broom (not to the balcony, because smoke from the balcony and even from the corridor often enters the room!) And carefully monitor the guests who are next to the child. Since it is still extremely difficult to force someone not to smoke on the street in our country, just take the child and move away from the smoker and / or stand on the windward side.